cj#329> Lowry: “Plan B” summary

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Date: Mon, 4 Dec 1995 13:24:29 -0800
Sender: •••@••.••• (John Lowry)
Subject: Re: cj#326> re: right to be here
>It is no longer a matter of "wishing," but of sound economics. The
>foolishness that passes for finance capitalism simply doesn't work to create
>an effecient and workable distribution of resources, and everybody can now
>see that we are headed for a disaster of unprecedented proportions.
>
>John
>
>John,
> Agreed. But, what next? Does this obvious failure lead
>automatically to corrective evolution? Are you issuing a call to action?
>Please clarify.
>
>-rkm
>
Richard,
I did issue a "call to action." It says 1) discourage absentee ownership
through a tax on "excess" wealth, 2) reintroduce responsibility into
corporate governance by federalizing the charter of large, interstate
corporations and requiring that their governing bodies reflect the full
spectrum of "stakeholder" interests, and 3) prepare coming generations for
their responsibilities in this world through a program of mandatory service
begining part time in high school and continuing full time for 2-3 years
after that. The program is called "Plan B, for managing civilization; a
manifesto of progressive vision and honored values, intended to build cause
for celebration, and have a party." It is located at:
http://www.mcn.org/mencomnet/community/personals/jlowryplanb.html
But the response has not been overwhelming. Nevertheless, it is a plan that
would work, because it is based on some economic "truths" that we have
forgotten (and this reletes to the message that was garbled):
*The creation of wealth is an ethical endeavor. What happened when we
forgot this is that wealth -- "the general prosperity" -- declined.
*Capital is intellect. Land goes fallow without proper care. Machinery
creates havoc without proper maintainence and careful handling. A pile of
cash loses value without the support of a stable and productive political
system.
*Profit is mutual benefit. While the root meaning of "profit" changed in
many dictionaries around 1970 to "gain" or "advantage," this one-sided
interpretation of commerce is not sustainable and accounts for the 500%
inflation we have had since that time. The classical definition of profit
as "mutual benefit" reflects the sane and proper view of how individual
economic transactions, in a "free market," end up furthering the common
interest. As even George Bush put it, "the purpose of private enterprize is
not personal gain, but public good.
John
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Posted by Richard K. Moore <•••@••.•••>
Wexford, Ireland (USA citizen)
Editor: The Cyberjournal (@CPSR.ORG)
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